We heard overnight from J-P, who wrote:
Unfortunately, the rash of burglaries continues. Today, burglars have hit Northeast 80th Street and Fourth Avenue Northeast between noon and 3 p.m. They’ve followed a similar modus operandi to that your article describes and pillaged all my friend’s electronics, silverware, and jewelry.
J-P says that the victim noticed two black males across the street apparently working under a car hood. “That caught the victim’s attention because they had never been seen in the neighborhood before.” Our previous post stated neighbors believed the suspects could be two black men taking jewelry and electronics.
This new burglary has not yet shown up on the police crime map. “Tip of the hat to the police for arriving at the victim’s place in a record three minutes following the call to 911,” J-P writes.
“Feel free to relay that information so as to raise awareness in the neighborhood and get burglars locked up and their ‘booty’ returned to their owners.”
I’m not telling him/her/them to say “cheese.” But since they’re out there in broad daylight (noon-3) just be cool and discreetly snap a photo. Even if you’re a block away, that photo could be enough for the cops to see the make, model and plate #.
They’re looking for easy pickings where no one is home and neighbors are oblivious.
I walk my dog in the morning and at night, work on my front lawn, socialize with my neighbors, and give a frindly hi to strangers walking by. We know who looks out of place and recognize strange cars.
Our street is a popular dumping spot for stolen cars off I-5 and Lake City Way, so we are always on watch.
Agree with Terry.
Good to be vigilant but the police should be consulted for proper guidance. Like someone said, don’t start taking pictures and suspecting everyone you don’t recognize.
There is a difference between suspicious activity and paranoia, profiling, etc. Just need to be careful treading that line.
Plus, if individuals are indeed dangerous/suspicious, consider calling the police.
Think before you act.
Just a friendly reminder.
It might be a better idea for people to invest in some exterior motion-activated lighting and cameras. A friend had a Logitech brand camera capture a fairly good photo of a criminal’s face as he stole a package from their porch. Also, you could clearly see his car casing houses and circling the block.
On another note… There is a wild rabbit feasting on gardens near the Roosevelt Safeway. It’s not very shy and has perhaps migrated a bit North of Greenlake. If you have questions about keeping him/her out of your yard or anything else, please contact the House Rabbit Society: http://www.rabbit.org
Walking around the neighborhood at night, is indeed a good way to discourage theft; but unless you are able and willing to defend yourself, by whatever means necessary, it’s probably not a good idea to start shooting photos, with any sort of camera.
Consider what the three guys who tried to break into that truck, back in September of 2007, would have done if someone, alone, had started popping off photos with a cell phone.
Just record enough information, with your eyes, to file a report with the police, if need be. Discretion is still the better part of valor.
Good point, Sara. I keep taking my dog for walks at Greenlake but I’m going to go around the neighborhood instead. Only by knowing what’s normal can we recognize the abnormal.
Thanks lago, you too. I am out surveying neighborhood myself. Trying to see the “norm” so I can recognize not norm. I hope we all do the same.
If you have a cellphone, snap a photo whenever you see an unfamiliar guy on your block who claims to be locked out or looking for his dog or fixing his car.
BE NOSY!
It’s the only way to drive them out, if not catch them.
Two cars, mine included, were broken into on 96th & 8th, the night of october 18th. Many items stolen. This is third time for me in a year. I am trying to organize a blockwatch and if anyone is interested please post. Around the corner got broken into last week. Bless the hearts of our police, but only we can keep our homes,family and property safe before an incident. Thanks
Regarding the NE 97th street fatality: three young men were caught trying to break into a truck, belonging to another young man, who lived in an apartment, that had a deck that opening out onto an area, above where the truck was parked.
The truck owner, grabbed a rifle and told the others to stop, and they ran. The truck owner said that one of the others, bent down, as if to pull a weapon; so he fired. The shot hit the other in the head and he died.
The police arrested the shooter, who later stood trial and was cited for second degree manslaughter. He spent about six months in jail, with credit for some time served.
The original reportage can probably still be found on the Internet, if you enter key words such as “Northgate shooting, September 2008.” I stood by a Seattle PI reporter when he filed his story and he called it “the Northgate area” and I corrected him to “Maple Leaf,” but his editor went with the former.
Regarding the NE 97th 2007 fatality – could someone update us newcomers? What happened?
It would be great if we got the license plate, but in the moment we were dealing with the situation at hand… we were not even sure of their intentions until they left. It is always easier to think back on what one should have done.
Yes, PLEASE get a plate # next time if you see them! Any idea of what kind of white car???
lk—Get a plate # and call 911 if you see them again. Scaring them off once was nice for your neighbor, but the cops having leads is nice for the neighborhood…
Interesting the stories the thieves have to cover themselves. I observed two black men go to my neighbors door and knock, when there was no answer, they proceeded down her driveway to the backyard. I shouted to ask them what they needed… They said they had lost their dog and were going house to house looking for him. Questionable??I think so. They got in a white car and sped away, but they will probably be back!!